14 November 2012

Solar Activity and Winter Observing

We could be going through Solar max now: 
 Latest graph: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SolarCycle/

The latest graph of sunspot count:

Latest Sunspot number prediction


SUBSIDING STORM: Last night, Nov. 13/14, Northern Lights spilled across the Canadian border into the United States during a moderately strong (Kp=6) geomagnetic storm. Spotters report naked-eye auroras just barely over Colorado. Cal is always possible so keep looking up and North. Active Astro sites prove to be the best for catching aurora posts but this NOAA page gives you a Kp map - Click on North America:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/Aurora/#kpmaps

Click to images to enlarge!

This Email alert can hedge you bets for solar flares and aurorae - I use it for h-alpha:
Real Time e-mail Solar Flare Alert: http://www.ips.gov.au/mailman/listinfo/ips-flare-alert  (see also http://www2.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraAlerts/ )

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